Governance without government? Rethinking public administration

摘要: The concept of governance has come to be used more commonly in the discussion public administration, but meaning term is not always clear. There a growing body European literature that can characterized as "governance without government, " stressing it does importance networks, partnerships, and markets (especially international markets). This related new management; yet number distinctive elements. article discusses strengths weaknesses this its applicability administration United States. traditional conceptualization sector under increasing strain during past several decades. idea national governments are major actors policy they able influence economy society through their actions now appears doubt. Some on been result increased environment an arguably diminished capacity those insulate economies societies from global pressures. Those pressures about capital (Strange 1996; see Hirst Thompson Peters 1998) well supranational organizations such Union (Scharpf 1997). Another conception governing arises changes relationship between government private sector. At extreme argued government" becoming dominant pattern management for advanced industrial democracies (Rhodes Other characterizations include "hollow" states 223/Journal Public Administration Research Theory J-PART 8(1998):2:223-243 content downloaded 157.55.39.163 Wed, 23 Nov 2016 04:26:57 UTC All use subject http://about.jstor.org/terms Rethinking (Peters 1993; Rhodes 1994) "negotiated" (Nielsen Pedersen 1990). In all these depictions changing patterns societal have become influential over done so ways were unimaginable earlier times. Government seen weakened incapable "steering" had past. controlling regulating organization outmoded (Bekke, Kickert, Kooiman 1995). largely concentrated primarily Kingdom Netherlands. roots debate appear part function preeminent role welfare state Europe strength established position interest groups (Kooiman Schmitter Lembruch 1979). essence much power lose, areas involvement, network structure already place replace or supplement government. emergence direct challenge Whitehall model strong, centralized Although European, beginning diffuse some objective evidence same changes-such contracting, public-private variety other interactions with sector-move away central source "authoritative allocation values" society. Also, States there relates broader questions managing State (O'Toole 1997; Thomas objectives concrete design administrative reform mirror historical, political, roles internal culture. Such reforms path-dependent, probably greater extent than we generally realize. Path-dependency refers range choice available reformers; strategies embedded systems norms practices therefore shaped by what exists desired administration. will examine emerging describe both dimensions continue govern development 224/J-PART, April 1998 alternative mechanisms exerting control We also address question whether purely academic debate, product developing theoretical language suitable analysis, real change occurring nature WHAT IS THE GOVERNANCE DEBATE? developed years constituent As indicated above, however, taken together elements would amount prescription steering less means weakening policy. These would, turn, implications democracy contemporary political system. evaluate arguments here; rather save how fit within context American Importance Networks Perhaps feature argument networks dominate assertion amorphous collections actors-not formal policy-making institutions government-control agencies may imprimatur policy, goes, action occurs Further, versions argument, if attempt impose sufficient resiliency self-organization1 Marsh 1992; de Bruijn ten Heuvelhof 1997) evade govermment. It long structures varying degrees formality, carries dominance. dominance possible partly because delegitimated. loss legitimacy excessively clumsy, bureaucratic, path dependent information implementation actors. whatever poorly, while (for profit profit) effective. 225/J-PART, 'Especially Dutch Germnan autopoesis self-organizing